Barrera-Morales Fight in Postponed

Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, February 7, 2002

The rematch between featherweights Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales scheduled for March 2 at the MGM Grand has been postponed because of an injury to Barrera.

A spokeswoman for Barrera's promoter, John Jackson of Forum Boxing in Las Vegas, said Barrera injured a rib when he was hit by a sparring partner Jan. 30.

"His doctors said he can't resume training until March 15," Diana Sherer said Friday.

Barrera and Morales fought Feb. 19, 2000, in what was later named Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year." Although most neutral observers thought Barrera won, the decision went to Morales.

Barrera has been running to stay in shape and hoped to resume sparring by Friday.

But Barrera continued to have discomfort and was forced to postpone the fight after being examined Thursday by doctors in Los Angeles, according to a joint statement from Forum Boxing and Top Rank.

"Since the training accident, I have done everything that the doctors and my trainers have instructed me to do," Barrera said. "Now the doctors have advised me that I should not attempt to fight on March 2. My trainers also agree that I will not be ready to fight Erik Morales."

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Because Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas are scheduled to fight May 4 in Las Vegas, the Barrera-Morales fight could be moved to a date after that.